Looking back can be hard sometimes. Doing so can bring up painful memories. Even worse, it can bring up good ones. And often times, the beautiful moments can be more difficult to reflect on because they remind us of the joy that we felt during these moments and contrast them with our current struggles.
This blend of bliss and melancholy is what we call nostalgia, and that is precisely the feeling Grammy-Nominated Producer Jerry Folk has evoked with his latest offering, the temporal-themed single and music video ‘Better Days’. Available across platforms via Folkestad Recordings.
Opening up about the making of the collaboration with his FENGSEL alias, Jerry said: “I made this track in LA last year around the same time I made my last EP, Castle Tapes, and was inspired by medieval sounds, UK Punk, and ‘90s breakbeat music – trying to find a unique middle ground between the three. It’s coming out as a collab between Jerry Folk and my FENGSEL alias. It’s hard to explain but when some things I make get a certain nerve, I want to have it in the FENGSEL universe.”
TikTok users can now look forward to a new product from the company that brought the world the highly addictive video-sharing social media platform. With a simple hum, users can generate entire songs using the new Ripple app. It is worth noting that the app is still in its beta testing phase, but for those who have access, Ripple offers a world of untapped creativity.
Ripple is unique in that it allows musicians who don’t possess the skill to play an instrument to generate instrumentation at a moment’s notice. Then, they can use the app’s built-in editing feature to cut and shift parts into an arrangement of their choosing, much like audio workstations FL Studio and Ableton are capable of. Only, with Ripple, the process appears to be more mobile-compatible.
“Ripple is designed to inspire musical creativity and help musicians, artists and composers express themselves,” said a ByteDance representative. “We’re excited to see how creators use Ripple to tap into their creativity to soundtrack their own short-form videos.”
Is Ripple the future of digital audio workstations? Who knows. But we do know that it is only a matter of time before TikTok floods with hum-generated music, being that the new app links directly to its sister platform, enabling a seamless segway from music creation to music publication!
Innovating, EDM producer Kēvens has offered fans something new. Titled ‘Legal Dreamers’, his recently released single skirts the line. No, rather, it crosses it forthrightly, bringing to life a novel sound.
A palpable blend of Drum & Bass and Reggae, this electro-world track stands out as something truly individual. Though producers are not always so lucky, Kēvens has engendered a genre that works. That is to say that the blend of seemingly opposed sonic worlds, of organic and synthetic, gel. It can be described as sci-fi: following the natural development of music genres, guiding EDM fans into an alternate future.
Kēvens has broken boundaries elsewhere too: during ULTRA 2000, the producer introduced drum and bass to the Festival. He would go on to grace the stages of The Florida Zen Music Festival, Cyberfest, Earthdance, and One Love Fest Japan.
Unpropped, Plastikman, Aphex Twin, Autechre, and Lorn.
Image credit: Chiara Bellamoli
Boundary-pushing producer Unpropped released his debut EP, Acausality,on the 30th of June via Unpropped Music. On the EP, fans and new listeners alike will discover the adrenaline-stimulating lead single ‘Inner’. The 5-track project is comprised of new, unheard material as well as two already-released singles, ‘Virola’ and ‘Nousle’, both of which helped the rising producer garner support from tastemaker webzines CLASH Magazine, Electronic Groove, and House Music With Love,among others. Further, the EP was mastered by Stefan Betke, the founder of Scape Mastering, who has previously engineered recognised acts Apparat, Richie Hawtin, and Kangding Ray.
Unpropped shares: “This EP follows an unpublished 9-track album I had been putting together during 2021 and 2022. Nevertheless, I decided not to go on with the concept of that album and instead started to focus on the elements that made those specific tracks so captivating to me. How could I amplify those particular atmospheres which resonate much more with my own way of perceiving emotions, dreams, nature, society, and the world in general? Acausality is the earliest crystallization of that exploration process.”
Acausality is a work of sonic science fiction that stretches out toward the far reaches of places previously unknown. Particle-like sounds crackle and degrade across time as they drift through the spacious mix, following Unpropped as he explores the heavy orbit of experimental music.
Innovative is a term thrown around in modern music, but one that rings loud as the Unpropped concept unravels. Born Germán Sánchez, Unpropped can paint pictures for listeners, using their minds as the canvas, each curious sound mixing in a new colour. After spending considerable time improving his cultural palette in Brazil, India, and Morocco, this native Spaniard settled in Germany where he currently resides. Drawing inspiration from artists like Floating Points, Amon Tobin, and Alva Noto to name a few, he creates music that is unique to him. If one had to draw a comparison, it might be likened to early Plastikman as well as Aphex Twin, Autechre, and Lorn.
The biggest influence on his musical development was his two-year education at Longevity Music School in Strasbourg, France, where he learnt how to process his vast creativity into unsuspected patterns and mystical arrangements. Focused on creating his debut EP, the cinematic musician is also preparing a live performance, where he will present his dynamic ethos using minimal machinery and intuitive sounds, all while manoeuvring way beyond the norm to create a sense of community that, before the experience, seemed inconceivable.
As anyone tapped into the digital grapevine knows, HBO’s new drama series The Idol has been a hot topic in the press of late. With TheWeeknd starring as the crazed self-help guru and cult leader Tedros and Lily-Rose Depp as the stardom-seeking lead, the show made its debut on the 4th of June.
Last week, The Weeknd released two tracks from the first episode of the series: the theme song, ‘The Lure’, as well as ‘World Class Sinner / I’m a Freak’. The theme song was written by The Weeknd and heavyweight producer Mike Dean and the second song was sung by Lily-Rose Depp and co-written by Abel and Asa Taccone.
Yesterday, The Weeknd released 3 new tracks from episode 2, which will feature alongside already released records like ‘Popular (with Playboi Carti & Madonna)’ and ‘Double Fantasy (with Future)’ on the official soundtrack album, The Idol, Vol. 1, which is slated for release on the 30th of June.
Disney has put a contemporary spin on their classic animation The Little Little Mermaid. Originally written by Hans Christian Andersen, the fairy tale has resurfaced, and this time with a twist. Now reimagined, The Little Mermaid is a musical adaptation featuring singer-songwriter Halle Bailey as Ariel, the little mermaid herself.
The major motion picture made its debut on the 26th of May and, naturally, the official soundtrack, written by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, followed soon after – available now across digital streaming platforms. Fans can also purchase the cinematic score on vinyl at Disney Music Emporium.
Rob Marshall, the film’s director and producer, said the following: “Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda have written three thrilling new songs and one new reprise for this film, which is kind of amazing. It’s extraordinary actually.”
Ed is Dead, Bicep, Fred Again.., Ross for Friends, Overmono
Seemingly unafraid of trying new things, Ed is Dead has played around with artificial intelligence and created his newest release, a track entitled ‘Wolfram Alpha’. The track seems to be more about feeling than logical progression. There is a natural unravelling that occurs, giving the track a quality of spontaneity. It is the antithesis of stiff. Moving from one form of expression to another, it evolves as if it were a living thing, which indeed it is.
We spoke with Ed is Dead to discuss the creation of this so-called musical lifeform, how he came into music, his favourite plugins, and more.
Hey, Ed. Welcome to BSMNT Club.
Hi and thank you for the interview, a true pleasure!
You created your latest song using AI. How did it affect your creativity?
For now, it’s a tool that speeds up the process of generating ideas for me and allows me to, for example, change vocal tones. It also helps in editing or mixing processes. Creatively speaking, I think the more stereotypical the music you want to make, the more you can rely on AI. But that’s not the case for me at the moment.
With the emergence of this technology, where do you see the music industry in a few years from now?
I think AI has simply accelerated the process in which art becomes Industry and participates in the worst face of capitalism. It seems as if everything is orchestrated on purpose. For example, first, we get the average listener used to autotune, shorten songs, simplify music to unimaginable limits, ridicule maturity in lyrics. And then we’re surprised that an AI can clone it? I believe that in the very long run, mainstream music will no longer be created by humans, but there will be a kind of “audiophile niche” where the uniqueness and complexity of the artist will be highly valued.
Can you tell us a bit about how you got into music?
It’s a long story, but basically, as a child, I sought refuge in music and taught myself to play the piano. Over the years, I ended up playing percussion and, against all odds, started touring with bands and making a living as a drummer. In parallel, electronic music became a passion of mine. What used to be my hobbies – creating and DJing crude hip-hop or drum ‘n’ bass beats – eventually turned into my profession.
Give us a sense of the music scene where you are based.
Well, to be 100% honest, in my city, and almost by extension in my country, the musical scene that I align myself with is tremendously small, if not nonexistent. I suppose I belong to a generation that grew up listening to IDM, breaks, Drum ‘n’ Bass, as well as genres like Metal, Grunge, Trip-hop, and Rap. While I’ve had periods in my life where dance music and the club scene were a part of it, I currently find myself drawn to more cerebral music that isn’t so closely tied to the nightlife. I’ve never been a fan of labels, and I’ve always had the challenge of enjoying and creating diverse genres of music.
Tell us about your studio set-up and gear.
I have a kind of Diogenes syndrome when it comes to synths, but I’m not a 100% advocate of analog only. I also find many aspects of the digital world super interesting, such as granular synthesis, among other things. I mostly work with Cubase, although sometimes I use Ableton/Max DSP for sound design. As for my synths, I think I would keep the Prophet 6, Korg Alpha, Matrixbrute, and recently the Waldorf Iridium. I’m addicted to plugins, and I love trying out new things and stepping out of my comfort zone. Some recent ones I’ve been using are Novum for granular synthesis, Phaseplant and Serum as versatile options for almost everything, and this week, I’m trying out Excite’s Motion for distorting and adding movement to leads.
What are some of your key musical influences?
I can imagine that the list of artists I mentioned would change completely every five minutes. Some of the ones I can recall right now are Squarepusher, Nirvana, Queens of the Stone Age, Björk, Air, DJ Shadow, Noisia, Aphex Twin, Korn, Deftones, Pantera, Aphrodite, Massive Attack, Portishead, Refused, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Art Blakey, Otis Redding, trentemøller, and also some salsa, Latin music, reggae, and dub, I suppose… (As I write, I’m regretting everything I’m forgetting, so I’ll stop here).
As an artist, how do you infuse your music with emotion?
This is a challenging topic. I suppose it’s delicate, especially when you’re involved in electronic music, to not let technology dictate your creative process and to infuse soul, or at least try to, into your compositions. I believe that freeing myself from certain common protocols in music composition with DAWs (such as setting BPMs for a track without even knowing the story I want to tell) allows me to approach it more like a compositional process with ‘organic’ instruments. I try to base it on concepts, and for example, approaching the introduction of instruments as I would when composing pieces for contemporary dance helps me avoid approaching the music in such a rigid manner, as is often the case in more standard electronic genres.
In your opinion, how has bass music evolved over the last few years?
I agree that the term ‘Bass Music’ has evolved tremendously and encompasses a wide range of styles. It spans from mainstream and stereotypical sounds that I may not personally connect with, to truly cutting-edge styles where you can still sense a bit of that experimental spirit from the early days of Dubstep or Drum ‘n’ Bass/Jungle. One common aspect of Bass Music, I believe, is that it probably includes some of the most technically demanding genres to produce, along with genres like hardstyle.
What has been a memorable highlight of your career so far?
Mmm, officially I should probably mention something like playing at the opening of Sonar or a similar massive event, but honestly, some of the happiest moments have been very intimate. Like about a year ago when I DJ’d with my friend Piek at a club with around 100 people in Pamplona, or when Arca came to work at my studio. I think my greatest moments are when the music is above absolutely everything else.
Who do you look up to in the DJ world?
I don’t admire any current DJs, but I do admire many producers who also DJ. However, honestly, what the DJing world has become makes me cringe. I love genuine music selectors who blow my mind with their track selection. But technically, a DJ set doesn’t impress me anymore. On the contrary, people like Thys, Two Fingers, Skylark, Little Snake, Misanthrop, and many of the big names in Drum ‘n’ Bass and breaks, whenever they release a new track, it restores my hope in music and truly makes me very, very happy.
If you weren’t a musician what would you be?
Mmm, probably MTB Enduro Pro rider (haha, I wish!).
What can we expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or gigs in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?
Usually, I release an album every two years, and it consumes a lot of my time and energy. However, this year, I’ve taken a more relaxed approach and focused on releasing singles and collaborating with other artists, as well as working on soundtracks for films and theatre. Taking this more laid-back approach has been beneficial for me as it allows me time to ‘lose” myself in playing with synths and experimenting. So, I will continue to release tracks under my name, like Ed is Dead, or under my new aka, Daed Side.
Anonymous act The Beautiful Blū has shared its latest single ‘Future Blur’. The track is its second release after the single ‘One Final Day’ dropped last month and will feature alongside the track on the act’s debut album iGenocide – a title that captures the project’s conceptual subject matter.
‘Future Blur’, a microcosm of the greater whole from which it has been taken, is a sonic investigation into the dangers inherent in ignoring slow, iterative transformation, and asks the question, are we evolving or just changing things because we can?
A deep subject worth investigating, the act drew an apt analogy when it said, “What does the future hold? We tend to assume that everything will be OK. Many of us know the classic experiment that when you put a frog in boiling water it will jump out, but that when you put it in water, and then slowly turn the heat up, it will boil to death. Why? Because when things change slowly, we tend to accept the changes, even when the changes are for the worse.”
After Ryuichi Sakamoto’s passing on the 28th of March, his management shared a rather eerie playlist that the 71-year-old curated before losing his ongoing battle with cancer. Titled Funeral, the playlist contains 33 tracks by the likes of collaborator alva noto, French pianist Erik Satie (who makes a number of appearances throughout), and the German Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach to name a few. Curated by a man in the midst of self-grieving, it is a sombre farewell.
“We would like to share the playlist that Ryuichi had been privately compiling to be played at his own funeral to accompany his passing,” said his management. They first shared the playlist on Twitter, tugging at the heartstrings of musicians and fans alike when they tweeted, “He truly was with music until the very end.”
As musicians know, the audience is everything. As such, SoundCloud is in the process of launching an innovative new feature on SoundCloud for Artists that will enable creators to make direct contact with key members of their audience. Called ‘Fans’, the feature was built to help artists forge stronger bonds with their die-hard fans.
Still in the beta phase, the feature has been made available to over 50,000 test users, who are now able to message the select few who make a difference. The hope here is that artists will be able to build increasingly meaningful relationships with their core followers.
The potential here is worth noting: instead of relying on streams, musicians could, at least in theory, offer their loyal listeners exclusive content and merchandise, leading to higher revenue; the possibilities are endless. In addition, musicians will be able to track listening behaviours and form strategies based on the feature’s handy analytics dashboard.
